Mr Cameron’s idea of “fundamental change” is addressed by the four things he is asking for:
1. Allowing Britain to opt out from the EU's founding ambition to forge an "ever closer union".
2. Restricting access to in-work and out-of-work benefits to EU migrants. Specifically, ministers want to stop those coming to the UK from claiming certain benefits and housing until they have been resident for four years.
3. Giving greater powers to national parliaments to block EU legislation. The UK supports a "red card" system allowing member states to scrap, as well as veto, unwanted directives.
4. Securing an explicit recognition that the euro is not the only currency of the European Union, to ensure countries outside the eurozone are not materially disadvantaged.
This is the sum total of his demands which he believes will fundamentally alter our relationship with the EU and address the many concerns hat people in the UK have. To the nearest whole number, next to nothing of any significance.
Even so, he will be disappointed. He might get a wishy washy “agreement” (with large numbers of exceptions and caveats which will quickly prove the concession effectively useless) on item 1. He will not, under any circumstances, secure anything meaningful on item 2. Item 3 will be treated similarly to item 1. Item 4 may secure a few “concessions” but these will be all but meaningless.
Despite effectively being dismissed at the latest evening get together and booze-up (sorry, “summit”) the PM is already talking up the success of his “negotiations”. Talk of a “pathway” to success is beginning to surface (alongside warnings that hard work is needed to achieve compromise).
As I said in response to an earlier question, the UK should leave the EU forthwith and simply state that following the “renegotiations” a new relationship will be put to the electorate to see if they want to rejoin. The rest of the EU is keen, if not desperate, to see the UK remain in its clutches and Mr Cameron will lead a call for a “remain” vote if and when the time comes. It must be remembered that he has already stated that he will be resigning as PM before the next election and he will obviously want what most former senior politicians want – a nice little number in Brussels/Strasbourg. He will not get that if he leaves as the PM who took the UK out of the EU (an act that will probably and hopefully precipitate the collapse of the entire sorry shambles).
Should he lead that campaign? No he shouldn't. No Prime Minister worth his salt should do so but it's been a long time since the country had a PM prepared to put the best interests of the UK first and foremost.